11:00am Monday 26th July 2010
By Tim Hughes
TWO days of live music and dancing drew to a spectacular close last night at what has been described as the best “community party”.
Nearly 5,000 people enjoyed more than 100 performances by bands and artists at the 13th annual Truck Festival, at Hill Farm, Steventon, near Didcot.
Music-lovers enjoyed shows by local, national and international acts – with headline sets by Danish rockers Mew and Glasgow five-piece Teenage Fanclub.
Among the highpoints were shows by Oxford jive dance band The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, avant-garde folk act Bellowhead and Oxford’s Stornoway.
Although numbers were slightly down on last year, revellers and organisers hailed it a relaxed and friendly festival helped by glorious weather.
Musician brothers Robin and Joe Bennett, who founded and still run the event, thanked the hundreds of volunteers who, they said, made the festival possible.
Robin said: “It has been a lovely weekend, with a relaxed crowd and a very diverse mix of music.”
Robin, a talented flautist, singer and guitarist, also appeared on stage with five different bands.
Farmer Alan Binning, 70, who owns the 600-acre site, said: “Truck is the best community party. It started off all those years ago as a small event, with Robin playing a gig for a few friends, and it evolved into this. I was born on this farm and it gives me a lot of pleasure to allow other people to share it.”
Mr Binning does not charge for the use of his farm, and spent the weekend serving chips and burgers with members of Didcot and Wantage Rotary Clubs.
President of Didcot Rotary Club, Brian Key, from Southmoor, near Abingdon, said: “Truck is a tremendous local community event which allows us to raise thousands of pounds for good causes locally and oversees.”
Also benefiting from the festival was the parish church of St Michael’s, in Steventon, whose clergy and congregation served ice cream and sweets, earning £700 for church funds.
“The festival has had a fantastic atmosphere,” said Caroline Miller, 64, a member of the church council, from Abingdon Road, Steventon. “There are a few less people this year but that has given it a nice feel, and made it more like a big family party.
“I got to see some of the bands – Stornoway, and Alphabet Backwards, who are from Steventon, were my favourites, but the best thing was meeting people from he village who I don’t see for the rest of the year.”
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